Toni Preckwinkle County Board President | Cook County Government
Toni Preckwinkle County Board President | Cook County Government
Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and Project Rainbow have announced the winners of the first Bookmark Design Contest for the 2025–26 school year. The contest, which was open to students in grades K–6, encouraged participants to create original bookmarks celebrating books, reading, and community pride.
The winning designs were created by Myra M. (grades K–3), Ava P. (grades 4–6), and Zoey F-P., who received an honorable mention. Each winner was awarded a Kindle ColorSoft Kids reader, a certificate of achievement, and a Project Rainbow T-shirt. They were also recognized with a Cook County Board resolution at the October meeting of the Board of Commissioners.
The official bookmarks for Cook County will be displayed as stand-up banners in the lobby of the Cook County Building throughout October and featured on the Project Rainbow website. The artwork can be viewed at projectrainbow.cookcountyil.gov/bookmark.
“We’re proud to celebrate the creativity of Cook County’s young artists,” said President Toni Preckwinkle. “There were so many wonderful submissions from students across the County. Their designs remind us of the joy of reading and the importance of supporting literacy and imagination in our communities.”
“This contest continues Project Rainbow’s mission to inform, inspire and impact Cook County’s youth and families in creative and imaginative ways – this time in a way that connects learning with civic pride,” said Project Rainbow Creator Nick Shields. “We’re thrilled to see how students across the County showcased their brilliance by embracing this opportunity to express themselves through the worlds of literacy and art.”
Project Rainbow is an initiative started by Cook County to address early education inequities highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic. It offers free early childhood programming and educational resources through various platforms such as television, a mobile app, and partnerships with local cultural institutions. More information about Project Rainbow can be found at https://projectrainbow.cookcountyil.gov.
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